Experimental determination of superconducting parameters for the intermetallic perovskite superconductor MgCNi 3

Z. Q. Mao, M. M. Rosario, K. D. Nelson, K. Wu, I. G. Deac, Peter E Schiffer, Y. Liu, T. He, K. A. Regan, R. J. Cava

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We have measured upper-critical-field Hc2, specific heat C, and tunneling spectra of the intermetallic perovskite superconductor MgCNi3 with a superconducting transition temperature Tc,≈7.6 K. Based on these measurements and relevant theoretical relations, we have evaluated various superconducting parameters for this material, including the thermodynamic critical field Hc(0), coherence length ξ(0), penetration depth λ(0), lower-critical-field Hc1(0), and Ginzburg-Landau parameter κ(0). From the specific heat, we obtain the Debye temperature ΘD≈284 K. We find ajump of ΔClλTc=2.1 at Tc (where γ is the normal-state electronic specific coefficient), which is larger than the weak-coupling BCS value of 1.43, suggesting that MgCNi3 may be a strong-coupling superconductor. In addition, we observed a pronounced zero-bias conductance peak (ZBCP) in the tunneling spectra. We discuss the possible physical origins of the observed ZBCP.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number094502
Pages (from-to)945021-945026
Number of pages6
JournalPhysical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
Volume67
Issue number9
StatePublished - Mar 1 2003

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics

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